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Dr William "Billy" Connolly, CBE, (born 24 November 1942) is a Scottish comedian, musician, presenter, and actor. He is sometimes known, especially in his native Scotland, by the nickname The Big Yin (The Big One). The nickname was first used during Connolly's adolescent years to differentiate between himself and his father, William Connolly, Sr.[1] Image File history File linksMetadata No higher resolution available. ...
is the 328th day of the year (329th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Anderston is a well-known district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. ...
For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ...
This article is about the country. ...
Stand-up comedy is a style of comedy where the performer speaks directly to the audience, with the absence of the theatrical fourth wall. ...
This article is about motion pictures. ...
In English usage, nationality is the legal relationship between a person and a country. ...
This article is about the country. ...
Pamela Stephenson (also known as Pamela Stephenson Connolly) Ph. ...
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority, these are Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross (GBE) Knight Commander...
is the 328th day of the year (329th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...
This article is about the country. ...
A comedian, or comic, is an entertainer who amuses an audience by making them laugh. ...
“Instrumentalist†redirects here. ...
A television presenter is a British term for a person who is known for introducing or hosting television programmes. ...
For other uses, see Actor (disambiguation). ...
Background
Birth and early years Connolly was born at 65 Dover Street ("on the linoleum, three floors up")[2] in Anderston, Glasgow to Mary Adams, a hospital cafeteria worker, and William Connolly, an instrument technician[3] and the son of an Irish immigrant.[4] In 1946, with their son barely four years old, Connolly's mother abandoned him and his sister while his father was away for the war. He and his sister, Florence ("Flo"), were then looked after by two aunts, Margaret and Mona, his father's sisters. Anderston is a well-known district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. ...
For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ...
Connolly was brought up in the Anderston and, later, Partick districts of Glasgow. He attended St. Peter's Primary School in Glasgow and St. Gerard's Secondary School in Govan.[4] At the age of 12, he decided he wanted to become a comedian but felt he didn't fit the mould; he felt he needed to become more "windswept and interesting". Instead, at the age of 15, he left school and became a welder at Stephens Shipyard. Around the same time he joined the Territorial Army's Parachute Regiment. Anderston is a well-known district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. ...
Bilingual sign in Gaelic and English at Partick railway station, Glasgow. ...
Govan (Baile a Ghobhainn in Gaelic) is a district and former burgh in the southwestern part of the Scottish city of Glasgow. ...
A welder is a tradesman who specialises in welding materials together. ...
Alexander Stephen and Sons Limited, often referred to simply as Alex Stephens or just Stephens, was a British shipbuilding company based in Linthouse, Govan in Scotland, on the River Clyde. ...
Small shipyard in KlaksvÃk (Faroe Islands), reparing fishing vessels Fish ladder and shipyard in Grave, the Netherlands Construction hall of Schichau Seebeck Shipyard, Bremerhaven Gdynia Shipyard Shipyards and dockyards are places which repair and build ships. ...
The Territorial Army (TA) is the principal reserve force of the British Army, the land armed forces of the United Kingdom, and composed mostly of part-time soldiers paid at the same rate, while engaged on military activities, as their Regular equivalents. ...
The Parachute Regiments display team, the Red Devils at an American airshow The Parachute Regiment is the main body of elite airborne troops of the British Army. ...
1960s In 1965, after he had completed a five-year apprenticeship as a welder, Connolly accepted a ten-week job building an oil rig in Nigeria. Upon his return to Scotland, he focused on being a folk singer. A welder is a tradesman who specialises in welding materials together. ...
Natural gas drilling rig A drilling rig or oil rig is a structure housing equipment used to drill for and extract oil or natural gas from underground reservoirs. ...
Folk music, in the original sense of the term, is music by and of the people. ...
On 27 June 1969, a 26-year-old Connolly married his first wife, Iris Pressagh. In December 1969 his first child, Jamie, was born. He has four more children, all girls — one (Cara, born 1973) with Iris, and three with his second wife, Pamela: Daisy (31 December 1983), Amy (7 July 1986), and Scarlett (28 July 1988). is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Also: 1969 (Stargate SG-1) episode. ...
is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ...
is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ...
is the 209th day of the year (210th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ...
Connolly's career as a folk singer led to him forming a folk-pop duo called The Humblebums with a fellow musician Tam Harvey. After recording one album, Harvey left the partnership and was replaced by future rock star Gerry Rafferty. Connolly’s time with Rafferty possibly influenced his future comedy as years later he would recall how Rafferty’s expert prank telephone calls, made while waiting to go on stage, used to make him “scream” with laughter. The Connolly-Rafferty version of The Humblebums recorded two more albums for independent record label Transatlantic Records. The albums were not big commercial successes but enjoyed cult status and critical acclaim. Connolly's contributions were primarily straight-forward pop-folk with quirky and whimsical lyrics - but he had not especially focused on comedy at this point. The Humblebums were a Scottish folk band, based in Glasgow. ...
A portrait of Gerry Rafferty by John Patrick Byrne on the cover of the album City to City. ...
Transatlantic Records was an independent British record label. ...
In 1970, the Humblebums broke up with Rafferty going on to record a solo album for Transatlantic Records - Can I Have My Money Back (1971). Connolly returned to being a folk singer. His live performances featured folks songs with humorous introductions that became increasingly long in duration.
The head of Transatlantic Records, Nat Joseph, who had signed the Humblebums and had nurtured their career, was concerned that Connolly find a way to develop a distinctive solo career just as his former bandmate Gerry Rafferty was doing. Joseph saw several of Connolly's performances and noted his comedic skills. Joseph had successfully nurtured the recording career of another Scottish folk entertainer Hamish Imlach - and Joseph saw potential in Connolly following a similar path. He suggested to Connolly that he drop the folk-singing and focus primarily on becoming a comedian. It was a life-changing suggestion. Nathan Nat Joseph (23 July 1939 - 30 August 2005) was a noted force in the British music industry, a theatrical producer and talent agent. ...
Hamish Imlach (1940-1996) was a folksinger from Glasgow, Scotland. ...
1970s In 1972 Joseph produced Connolly's first solo album Billy Connolly Live! a mixture of comedic songs and short monologues that hinted at what was to follow. In late 1973, Joseph produced the breakthrough album that propelled Connolly to British stardom. Recorded at a small venue, The Tudor Hotel in Airdrie - the record was a double album titled Solo Concert. Releasing a live double-album by a comedian who was virtually unknown (except to a cult audience in Glasgow) was an unusual gambit by Joseph but his faith in Connolly's talent was justified. Joseph and his Transatlantic Records marketing team - which included publicist Martin Lewis (who as a producer in 1979 would cast Connolly in The Secret Policeman's Ball) - successfully promoted the album to chart success on its release in 1974. Building on his cult Scottish following, Transatlantic broke Connolly throughout the UK - an unusual development for a regional comedian. Airdrie can refer to: Places Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, in Scotland Airdrie, Alberta, in Canada Football (Soccer) Clubs Airdrieonians the defunct team from North Lanarkshire (Scotland) Airdrie United their re-incarnation ...
Martin Lewis. ...
The Secret Policemans Ball is the collective name for a series of fund raising performances featuring big-name comedians and musicians and other celebrities, held at various London venues, and once at a Nottingham television studio, to raise money for (and awareness of) Amnesty International. ...
In 1975, Transatlantic used the rapidity and extent of Connolly's breakthrough to secure him a booking on Britain's premier TV talkshow - the BBC's Parkinson show. Connolly made the most of the opportunity and told a bawdy joke about a man who had murdered his wife and buried her bottom-up so he'd have somewhere to park his bike. This ribald humour was unusually forthright on a primetime Saturday night on British television in the mid-1970s and his appearance made a great impact. He became a good friend of the host, Michael Parkinson, and now holds the joint record (with Kenneth Williams) for appearances on the programme, having been a guest on eight occasions. Referring to that debut appearance, he later said: "That programme changed my entire life." Parkinson, in the documentary Billy Connolly: Erect for 30 Years, stated that people still remember Connolly telling the punchline to the 'bike joke' three decades after that TV appearance. For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ...
Parkinson is a British television chat show presented by Michael Parkinson. ...
Michael Parkinson CBE (born 28 March 1935) is an English broadcaster and journalist. ...
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Connolly's UK success spread to other English-speaking countries — Australia, New Zealand and Canada. However, his broad Scottish accent and British cultural references made success in the U.S. improbable. His road manager at this time was Eddie Tobin.[5]
His popularity in Britain endeared him to many other British entertainers including musicians such as Elton John. John at that time was trying to assist British performers he personally liked, to achieve success in the U.S. (He had released records in the US by veteran British pop singer Cliff Richard on his own Rocket Records label.) John tried to give Connolly a boost in America by using him as the opening act on his 1976 US tour. But the well-intentioned gesture was a failure. Elton John's American fans had no interest in being warmed-up by an unknown comedic performer - especially a Scotsman whose accent was incomprehensible to most Americans. "In Washington, some guy threw a pipe and it hit me right between my eyes", he told Michael Parkinson two years later. "It wasn't my audience. They made me feel about as welcome as a fart in a spacesuit." Sir Elton Hercules[1] John CBE[2] (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947) is a five-time Grammy and one-time Academy Award-winning English pop/rock singer, composer and pianist. ...
Sir Cliff Richard OBE (born Harry Rodger Webb on 14 October 1940) is an English singer, actor and businessman. ...
The Rocket Record Company was a record label founded by Elton John, with Bernie Taupin, Gus Dudgeon and Steve Brown among others, in 1972. ...
Connolly continued to grow in popularity in the UK. In 1975 he signed with Polydor Records and the label built on Transatlantic's groundwork. Connolly continued to release live albums and he also recorded several comedic songs that enjoyed commercial success as novelty singles including parodies of Tammy Wynette's song "D.I.V.O.R.C.E." and the Village People's In The Navy - titled In The Brownies. 1920s vintage Polydor export label with its double-horn gramophone logo In 1954 Polydor Records introduced their distinctive orange label. ...
Tammy Wynette (May 5, 1942 – April 6, 1998) was an American country singer and songwriter. ...
D.I.V.O.R.C.E. is a 1975 UK number-one single by Billy Connolly. ...
Village People is a concept disco group formed in the late 1970s. ...
In 1979, Connolly was invited by producer Martin Lewis to join the cast of The Secret Policeman's Ball - the third in the series of the Secret Policeman's Ball fundraising shows for Amnesty International. Connolly was the first comedic performer in the series who was not an alumnus of the Oxbridge school of middle-class university-educated entertainers and he made the most of his appearance. His performance was considered to be one of the highlights of the show's comedy album (released by Island Records in December 1979) and feature film (released by ITC Films in 1980). Appearing in the company of long-established talents such as John Cleese and Peter Cook helped elevate the perception of Connolly as one of Britain's leading comedic talents. Lewis also teamed Connolly with Cleese and Cook to appear in the television commercial for the album. Martin Lewis. ...
The Secret Policemans Ball was the third of the benefit shows staged by the British Section of Amnesty International to raise funds for its research and campaign work in the human rights field. ...
The Secret Policemans Ball — The Complete Edition (2004 DVD box set - cover) The Secret Policemans Balls is the collective name informally used to describe a long-running series of benefit shows staged in England to raise funds for the human rights organisation Amnesty International. ...
Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a pressure group that promotes human rights. ...
Oxbridge is a name used to refer to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the two oldest in the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world. ...
Island Records is a record label that was founded by British record producers in Jamaica. ...
“Cleese†redirects here. ...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
1980s In 1981, John Cleese and Martin Lewis invited Connolly to appear in that year's Amnesty show The Secret Policeman's Other Ball. Connolly's performance was again reported as one of the highlights of the show and he was prominently featured in the subsequent comedy album (Springtime!/Island Records 1981) and UK film (UIP 1982). The commercial success of the special U.S. version of the The Secret Policeman's Other Ball film (Miramax Films 1982) introduced Connolly to a wider American audience - attracted to the film because of the presence of Monty Python members. His on-screen presence alongside these performers - who were already familiar to Anglophile comedy buffs - helped lay down a marker for Connolly's eventual return to America in his own right eight years later. “Cleese†redirects here. ...
Martin Lewis. ...
The Secret Policemans Other Ball was the fourth of the benefit shows staged by the British Section of Amnesty International to raise funds for its research and campaign work in the human rights field. ...
United International Pictures (UIP) is a joint venture of Paramount Pictures (owned by Viacom) and Universal Studios (owned by NBC Universal), to distribute some of the two studios films outside United States (including territories) and Canada. ...
Miramax Films is a film production and distribution brand that was a Big Ten film motion picture distribution and production company headquartered in New York City before being bought out by The Walt Disney Company. ...
Monty Python, or The Pythons, is the collective name of the creators of Monty Pythons Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. ...
In 1985, he divorced his wife of sixteen years (they had separated four years earlier). He was awarded custody of their two children. That same year, he recorded An Audience with... which was broadcast in front of a celebrity audience on ITV. The uncut, uncensored version was subsequently released on video. In July 1985 he performed at the Wembley leg of Live Aid - immediately preceding Elton John. An Audience with. ...
Independent Television (generally known as ITV, but also as ITV Network) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters, set up under the Independent Television Authority (ITA) to provide competition to the BBC. ITV is the oldest commercial television network in the UK. Since 1990 and the Broadcasting...
Wembley Stadium was a football stadium located in Wembley, London. ...
Ethiopia, as its borders were in 1985. ...
In 1986 he visited Mozambique to appear in a documentary for Comic Relief. He also featured in the charity's inaugural live stage show, both as a stand-up and portraying a willing 'victim' in his partner Pamela Stephenson's act of sawing a man in half to create two dwarves. Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character or scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension. ...
Pamela Stephenson (also known as Pamela Stephenson Connolly) Ph. ...
This article is about the legendary race. ...
Connolly completed his first world tour in 1987, including six nights at the Royal Albert Hall in London, which was documented in the Billy and Albert video. “Albert Hall†redirects here. ...
When the Fox Network aired Freedomfest: Nelson Mandela's 70th Birthday Celebration in 1988, Connolly was still virtually unknown in the States, but his performance drew attention, particularly from producers, and interest in him grew. For other people named Mandela, or other uses, see Mandela (disambiguation). ...
In 1989, Connolly's father died after a stroke, the eighth of his life.[2] (His mother died four years later of motor neurone disease.) On December 20, 1989, in Fiji, Connolly married Pamela Stephenson, the New Zealand-born comedy actress he had met when making a cameo appearance on the BBC sketch show Not The Nine O'Clock News, where she was one of four regular performers. He had been living with her since 1981. "Marriage to Pam didn't change me, it saved me", he later said. "I was going to die. I was on a downwards spiral and enjoying every second of it. Not only was I dying, but I was looking forward to it." The motor neurone diseases (MND) are a group of progressive neurological disorders that destroy motor neurones, the cells that control voluntary muscle activity such as speaking, walking, breathing, and swallowing. ...
is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ...
Pamela Stephenson (also known as Pamela Stephenson Connolly) Ph. ...
Not the Nine OClock News is a comedy television programme that was shown on the BBC, broadcast from 1979 to 1982. ...
Earlier in 1989 Connolly shaved off his trademark shaggy beard for a film role and he remained clean-shaven for several years.
1990s Although Connolly had performed in North America as early as the 1970s, and had appeared in several movies that played in American theatres, he nonetheless remained relatively unknown until 1990 when he was featured in the HBO special Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Connolly in Performance, produced by New York's Brooklyn Academy of Music. Goldberg introduced Connolly, and his performance has been cited as the moment that officially launched his career in the States. Soon after, Connolly succeeded Howard Hesseman as the star of the sitcom Head of the Class for the 1990-1991 season, but the series was cancelled during his tenure. For other uses, see HBO (disambiguation). ...
Whoopi Goldberg performing stand-up at a benefit for Rainforest Action Network. ...
Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) is a major performing arts venue in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, known as a center for progressive and avant garde performance. ...
Howard Hesseman (born February 27, 1940) is an American actor. ...
A sitcom or situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio but today typically found on television. ...
Head of the Class was an American sitcom that ran from 1986 to 1991 on the ABC television network. ...
The following year saw Connolly and Stephenson move to Los Angeles, and the family won green cards in the Morrison Visa Lottery. In 1991, Connolly received his first (and, to date, only) leading television role as the star of Billy, another sitcom and a spinoff of Head of the Class. It lasted only a half season. Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area City 1,290. ...
A United States Green Card. ...
Bruce Andrew Morrison (b. ...
Billy is the name of a short-lived television situation comedy that aired on ABC for half a season during 1992 in the United States. ...
Head of the Class was an American sitcom that ran from 1986 to 1991 on the ABC television network. ...
On June 4, 1992, Connolly performed his 25th-anniversary concert in Glasgow. Parts of the show, and its build-up, were documented in The South Bank Show, which aired later in the year.[6] is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ...
The South Bank Show is a British television arts magazine show, presented by Melvyn Bragg and seen in over 60 countries — including Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Sweden and the USA. Its stated aim is to bring both high art and popular culture to a mass audience. ...
Connolly was dealt a blow in 1993 when his close friend and fishing partner, Jimmy Kent, passed away.
In early January 1994, Connolly began a 40-date World Tour of Scotland, which would be broadcast by the BBC later in the year as a six-part series. It was so well received that the BBC signed him up to do a similar tour two years later, this time in Australia. The eight-part series followed Connolly on his custom-made Harley Davidson trike. This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ...
For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ...
Harley-Davidson Motor Company (NYSE: HOG) is an American manufacturer of motorcycles based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. ...
Also in 1996, Connolly recorded a BBC special, entitled A Scot in the Arctic, in which he spends a week by himself in the Arctic Circle. A notable feature of these shows is that he strips naked in one scene in each of them, usually in some remote wilderness area where no one is likely to complain, although for Comic Relief he once danced naked around Piccadilly Circus. For the fast food restaurant chain, see Arctic Circle Restaurants. ...
“Nude†redirects here. ...
Comic relief is the inclusion of a humorous character or scene or witty dialogue in an otherwise serious work, often to relieve tension. ...
This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...
In 1998, Connolly's best friend, Danny Kyle, died. "He was me dearest, dearest, oldest friend," Connolly explained to an Australian audience on his Greatest Hits compilation, released in 2001.
In November 1998, Connolly was the subject of a two-hour retrospective entitled Billy Connolly: Erect for 30 Years, which included tributes from Dame Judi Dench, Sean Connery, Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, and Eddie Izzard. The special was released on DVD in North America in 2004. Judi Dench as M in GoldenEye Dame Judi Dench (born December 9, 1934) is a renowned British stage, film and television actress. ...
Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930) is a retired Scottish actor and producer who is perhaps best known as the first actor to portray James Bond in cinema, starring in seven Bond films. ...
Whoopi Goldberg performing stand-up at a benefit for Rainforest Action Network. ...
For other persons named Robin Williams, see Robin Williams (disambiguation). ...
Dustin Lee Hoffman (born August 8, 1937) is a two-time Academy Award-winning, BAFTA-winning, and five-time Golden Globe-winning American method actor. ...
Edward John Eddie Izzard (born February 7, 1962) is an English[1] stand-up comedian and actor, known for his cross-dressing. ...
Size comparison: A 12 cm Sony DVD+RW and a 19 cm Dixon Ticonderoga pencil. ...
The following year, Connolly undertook a four-month, 59-date sellout tour of Australia and New Zealand. Later in the year, he completed a five-week, 25-date sellout run at London's Hammersmith Apollo. In 2000 he travelled to Canada for two weeks on a 13-date tour. The Hammersmith Apollo, located in Hammersmith, London, England, opened in 1932, and was known as Gaumont Palace Hammersmith until 1962. ...
2000s In 2000 Connolly starred in Beautiful Joe alongside Sharon Stone. The following year he completed the third in his "World Tour" BBC series, this time of England, Ireland and Wales, which began in Dublin and ended in Plymouth. It was broadcast the following year. Beautiful Joe was an American film, released in 2000. ...
Sharon Vonne Stone (born March 10, 1958) is an American actress, producer, and former fashion model. ...
Billy Connollys World Tour of England, Ireland and Wales was the third of Scottish comedian Billy Connollys world tours commissioned by the BBC. It was first aired in 2002, and was released on DVD in 2004. ...
For other uses, see Dublin (disambiguation). ...
, Plymouth (Cornish: ) is a city of 243,795 inhabitants (2001 census) in the south-west of England, or alternatively the West Country, and is situated within the traditional and ceremonial county of Devon at the mouths of the rivers Plym and Tamar and at the head of one of the...
Also in 2001, Pamela Stephenson's biography of her husband, Billy, was published. It outlines his career and life, including the sexual abuse by his father that lasted from his tenth to his fourteenth years. Much of the book is about Connolly the celebrity but the account of his early years provides a context for his humour and point of view. A follow-up, Bravemouth, was published in 2003. “Bad Touch†redirects here. ...
Connolly has also written several books, including Billy Connolly (late 1970s) and Gullible's Travels (early 1980s), both based upon his stage act, as well as books based upon some of his "World Tour" television series. He has stated that his comedy does not work on the printed page.
A fourth BBC series, World Tour of New Zealand, was filmed in 2004 and aired that winter. Also in his 63rd year, Connolly performed two sold-out benefit concerts at the Oxford New Theatre in memory of Malcolm Kingsnorth, who for twenty-five years was Connolly's tour manager and sound engineer. The latest in a long line of ‘world tours’ that follow comedian Billy Connolly on his various travels across the globe. ...
A benefit concert is a concert featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. ...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
Audio engineering is the branch of engineering dealing with the production of sound through mechanical means. ...
In October 2004, during an 18-night stint at London's Hammersmith Apollo, he was criticised for making jokes about the hostage Kenneth Bigley [1]. Shortly after Connolly joked about the future beheading of the hostage, Bigley was beheaded in Iraq. Connolly claims he was misquoted. He has declined to clarify what he actually said, claiming that the context was as important as the precise words used. The Hammersmith Apollo, located in Hammersmith, London, England, opened in 1932, and was known as Gaumont Palace Hammersmith until 1962. ...
Kenneth Bigley and his wife Sombat at their wedding in 1998. ...
He has continued to be a much in demand character actor, appearing in several films such as White Oleander (2002), The Last Samurai (2003) and Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004). A character actor is an actor, especially in motion pictures, who predominantly performs in similar roles throughout the course of a career. ...
White Oleander is a 2002 motion picture that tells a story of a mother and her daughter and their relationship. ...
Also see: 2002 (number). ...
The Last Samurai is an action/drama film written by John Logan and Edward Zwick & Marshall Herskovitz based on a story by Logan. ...
Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...
Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
In January 2005, Connolly came 8th in The Comedian's Comedian, a poll voted for by fellow comedians and comedy insider and embarked on a major UK tour with 15 sold-out nights in Glasgow. For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ...
Also in 2005, Connolly and Stephenson announced, after fourteen years of living in Hollywood, they were returning to live in the former's native land. They purchased a 120-foot yacht with the profits from their house-sale, and split the year between Malta and Candacraig House in Aberdeenshire.[7]. Since then Connolly has moved again & now lives in New York. ...
Logo of Aberdeenshire Council Aberdeenshire (Siorrachd Obar Dheathain in Gaelic) is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland. ...
Later in the year, Connolly topped an unscientific poll of "Britain's Favourite Comedian" conducted by TV network Five placing him ahead of performers such as John Cleese, Ronnie Barker, Dawn French, and Peter Cook. Five, launched in 1997, is the fifth and final national terrestrial analogue television channel to launch in the United Kingdom. ...
“Cleese†redirects here. ...
Ronnie Barker Ronald William George Barker OBE (September 25, 1929 – October 3, 2005), popularly known as Ronnie Barker and (as a writer) Gerald Wiley , was an English comic actor and writer. ...
Dawn Roma French[1] (born 11 October 1957) is a BAFTA Award-nominated British comedian and actress best known for starring in her comedy sketch show French & Saunders along with her comedy partner Jennifer Saunders, and for playing the lead role in The Vicar of Dibley as Geraldine Granger. ...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
Career
Folk music In 1965, together with Tam Harvey, Connolly started a group called the Humblebums. At their first gig, Connolly reportedly introduced them both to the audience by saying, "My name's Billy Connolly, and I'm humble. This is Tam Harvey, he's a bum." The band would later include Gerry Rafferty. Connolly sang, played banjo, guitar and Autoharp, and entertained the audience with his humorous introductions to the songs. The humblebums were a glasgow folk band whos members included internationally famous comic Billy Connoly and glasgow entertainer Gerry Rafferty. ...
A portrait of Gerry Rafferty by John Patrick Byrne on the cover of the album City to City. ...
For other uses, see Banjo (disambiguation) The banjo is a stringed instrument developed by enslaved Africans in the United States, adapted from several African instruments. ...
For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ...
An Autoharp The Autoharp is a musical string instrument having a series of chord bars attached to dampers which, when depressed, mute all the strings other than those that form the desired chord. ...
In his World Tour of Scotland, Connolly reveals that at a trailer show during the Edinburgh Festival, the Humblebums took to the stage just before the late Yehudi Menuhin. There is no one Edinburgh Festival but those using the term are usually referring to the collection of various festivals in August and early September of each year in Edinburgh, Scotland. ...
Yehudi Menuhin, Baron Menuhin, OM, KBE (April 22, 1916 – March 12, 1999) was an American violinist and conductor who spent most of his performing career in the United Kingdom. ...
The trio broke up in 1971, at which point Connolly went solo. His first solo album in 1972, Billy Connolly Live! on Transatlantic Records, features Connolly as a singer, songwriter, and musician. Transatlantic Records was an independent British record label. ...
His early albums were a mixture of comedy performances with comedic and serious musical interludes. Among his best known musical performances were "The Welly Boot Song", a comical ode to the working class which became his theme song for several years; "In the Brownies", a parody of the Village People classics "Y.M.C.A." and "In the Navy" (for which Connolly filmed a music video); "Two Little Boys in Blue", a tongue-in-cheek indictment of police brutality done to the tune of Rolf Harris' "Two Little Boys"; and the ballad "I Wish I Was in Glasgow" which Connolly would later perform on a guest appearance on the 1990s American sitcom Pearl (which starred Rhea Perlman). He also performed the occasional Humblebums-era song such as "Oh, No!" as well as straightforward covers such as a version of Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colors" which was included on his Riotous Assembly album. Village People is a concept disco group formed in the late 1970s. ...
Alternate meaning: YMCA (song) The YMCA (or Young Mens Christian Association) is an ecumenical Christian organization seeking to provide support for young people and their activities. ...
See In the Navy (film) for the 1941 Abbott & Costello film. ...
A music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music, most commonly a song. ...
Rolf Harris, CBE, AM (born 30 March 1930) is an Australian musician, composer, painter, and television host. ...
A sitcom or situation comedy is a genre of comedy performance originally devised for radio but today typically found on television. ...
Rhea Perlman at the 1988 Emmy Awards. ...
Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is a Grammy-winning and Academy Award-nominated American country singer, songwriter, composer, author, actress, and philanthropist. ...
In November 1975, his spoof of the Tammy Wynette song "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" had a one-week spell as the UK's No. 1 single. Wynette's original was about parents spelling out words of an impending marital split to avoid traumatizing their young child. Connolly's version of the song, on the other hand, played off of the fact that many dog owners use the same tactic when they do not wish their pet to become upset about an impending trip to the vet. His song is about a couple whose marriage is ruined by a bad vet visit (spelling out "W-O-R-M" or "Q-U-A-R-A-N-T-I-N-E", for example.) D-I-V-O-R-C-E is an American country music song written by Bobby Braddock and Curly Putman, and made famous in 1968 by Tammy Wynette. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Veterinarian. ...
His song "No Chance" was a parody of J.J. Barrie's "No Charge".
In 1985 he sang the theme song to Supergran, which was released as a single and in 1996 he performed a cover of Ralph McTell's In The Dreamtime as the theme to his World Tour of Australia. By the late 1980s, Connolly had all but dropped the music from his act, though he still records the occasional musical performance. In 1998 he covered The Beatles' "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite" on the George Martin tribute, In My Life. Most recently, he sang a song during the film Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. Supergran is a childrens television programme about a grandmother with super powers played by Gudrun Ure. ...
Ralph McTell (born Ralph May in Farnborough, England, 3 December 1944) is an English singer/songwriter and acoustic guitar player who has been an influential figure on the UK folk scene since the 1960s. ...
The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ...
For other uses, see George Martin (disambiguation). ...
This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...
Connolly is among the artists featured on Banjoman, a tribute to American folk musician Derroll Adams, released in 2002. He plays one song, "The Rock". Vitals: November 27th 1925-February 6th 2000 aged 75 Yin/Yang: ?/Sagittarius Place of Birth: Portland, OR Place of Death: unknown, probably somewhere in Belgium Derroll Adams was a tall, lanky banjo player with a deep voice. ...
Stand-up comedy It is as a stand-up comedian that Connolly is best known. His observational comedy is idiosyncratic and often off-the-cuff. He talks about himself, who he is, where he's been, what he thinks and how he reacts to the world around him. He has outraged audiences, critics and, of course, the media with his free use of the word "fuck". He has used masturbation, blasphemy, defecation, flatulence, haemorrhoids, sex, his father's illness and his aunts' cruelty to entertain. By exploring these subjects with humour, Connolly has done much to strip away the taboos surrounding them. Yet he does not tell jokes in the conventional way. At the end of a concert the audience can be convulsed with laughter, though few can remember a specific "funny" line.[citation needed] Observational comedy is a brand of humor based on making remarks about various facets of daily life. ...
This page is a candidate to be moved to Wiktionary. ...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
Woman masturbating, 1913 drawing by Gustav Klimt. ...
For the black metal band, see Blasphemy (band). ...
Anatomy of the anus and rectum Defecation is the act or process by which organisms eliminate solid or semisolid waste material (feces) from the digestive tract via the anus. ...
Flatulence (expelled through the anus in a process commonly known as farting or emitting gas) is the presence of a mixture of gases known as flatus in the digestive tract of mammals. ...
One of Connolly's most famous comedy routines is The Crucifixion, a 1973 live recording produced by Nat Joseph in which he likened Christ's Last Supper to a drunken night out in Glasgow. The recording was banned by many radio stations at the time. Around this same time, a joke told during a television talk show appearance (about a murderer and his bike) became a sensation that, reportedly, people still remember three decades after the appearance. This page is about the title, office or what is known in Christian theology as the Divine Person. ...
The Last Supper in Milan (1498), by Leonardo da Vinci. ...
For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ...
For other uses, see Bicycle (disambiguation). ...
He was voted Britain's favourite comedian in a survey by Channel 4 This article is about the British television station. ...
Playwright Connolly has written three plays: - An' Me Wi' A Bad Leg Tae (1975)
- When Hair Was Long And Time Was Short (1977)
- Red Runner (1979)
Film actor
Filmography | Year | Title | | 2009 | - Ice Age: A New Beginning as Tharsh
| | 2006 | DVD Open Season is a computer-animated film produced by Sony Pictures Animation and directed by Roger Allers, Jill Culton and Anthony Stacchi. ...
Garfield 2 is a motion picture to be released in 2006, and is based of the comic strip Garfield. ...
Fido is a Canadian zombie comedy film released in 2006. ...
| | 2005 | DVD - Billy Connolly: Live in New York
Documentaries | | 2004 |
 Connolly in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events Television Ivor Cutler (15 January 1923 – 3 March 2006) was a Scottish poet, songwriter and humorist. ...
The Aristocrats is a 2005 documentary film about the infamous dirty joke of the same name. ...
Image File history File links Billyseries. ...
Image File history File links Billyseries. ...
This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ...
Documentaries/Specials The latest in a long line of ‘world tours’ that follow comedian Billy Connolly on his various travels across the globe. ...
- Comedy Central Presents: 100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time as #73
| | 2003 | Documentaries/Specials The Last Samurai is an action/drama film written by John Logan and Edward Zwick & Marshall Herskovitz based on a story by Logan. ...
This article or section contains a plot summary that may be overly long, confusing, or ambiguous. ...
- Billy Connolly: Erect for 30 Years as Himself
- Julie Walters: A BAFTA Tribute as Himself
- The Importance of Being Famous as Himself
- Overnight as Himself
- Comic Relief 2003: The Big Hair Do as Himself
| | 2002 | Documentaries/Specials Julia Mary Walters, OBE (born February 22, 1950) is an English Golden Globe-winning actress. ...
BAFTA Award The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), is a British organisation that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, childrens film and television, and interactive media. ...
White Oleander is a 2002 motion picture that tells a story of a mother and her daughter and their relationship. ...
Billy Connollys World Tour of England, Ireland and Wales was the third of Scottish comedian Billy Connollys world tours commissioned by the BBC. It was first aired in 2002, and was released on DVD in 2004. ...
- Ultimate Fights from the Movies as Frankie from Crossing the Line
- Billy Connolly: A BAFTA Tribute as Himself
- Judi Dench: A BAFTA Tribute as Himself
- The Rutles 2: Can't Buy Me Lunch
| | 2001 | Television Movies BAFTA Award The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), is a British organisation that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, childrens film and television, and interactive media. ...
Dame Judith Olivia Dench, CH, DBE, FRSA, (born 9 December 1934), usually known as Dame Judi Dench, is an Academy Award, Golden Globe, Tony, three-time BAFTA, and six-time Laurence Olivier Award-winning English actress. ...
The Rutles are a parody of The Beatles, jointly created by Eric Idle and Neil Innes. ...
`I luv you Jimmy Spud` is a play set in Newcastle upon Tyne by British playwright Lee Hall. ...
DVD cover The Man Who Sued God is a 2001 movie in which Billy Connolly plays Steve Myers, an ex-lawyer who sues God because his boat is struck by lightning. ...
Who is Cletis Tout? is a 2001 crime/comedy film starring Christian Slater, Richard Dreyfuss and Tim Allen. ...
- Prince Charming as Hamish
- Gentlemen's Relish as Kingdom Swann
Documentaries/Specials - Comic Relief: Say Pants to Poverty as Himself
- Comic Relief Short Pants as Himself
| | 2000 | Television Movies An Everlasting Piece is a comedy film released in 2000. ...
Beautiful Joe was an American film, released in 2000. ...
- Columbo: Murder with Too Many Notes as Findlay Crawford
| | 1999 | | | 1998 | | | 1997 | - Beverly Hills Ninja as Japanese Antique Shop Proprietor
- Mrs. Brown as John Brown (for which he was nominated for a BAFTA)
- Paws as PC (voice)
- Billy Connolly: Two Night Stand as Himself
Television Movies The Boondock Saints is a 1999 action crime drama film written and directed by Troy Duffy. ...
The Debt Collector is a 1999 thriller, directed by Anthony Neilsen and starring Billy Connolly, Ken Stott and Francesca Annis. ...
Still Crazy is a 1998 comedy film about a fictional 70s rock band named Strange Fruit, who, after being split up for several years, are convinced to get back together to perform at a reunion of the same concert venue where they played their last gig. ...
The Impostors is a 1998 farce motion picture written and directed by Stanley Tucci, starring Oliver Platt, Stanley Tucci, Alfred Molina, Tony Shalhoub, Steve Buscemi, and Billy Connolly. ...
Beverly Hills Ninja is a 1997 film staring Chris Farley as a bumbling Beverly Hills ninja hot on the tracks of the Criminal Element. ...
Categories: Movie stubs | 1997 films | Best Actress Oscar Nominee (film) ...
BAFTA Award The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), is a British organisation that hosts annual awards shows for film, television, childrens film and television, and interactive media. ...
Documentaries/Specials It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with William Brodie. ...
- Sean Connery, an Intimate Portrait as Himself
- Sean Connery Close Up as Himself
- Whatever Happened to... Clement and La Frenais? as Himself
| | 1996 | Television Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930) is a retired Scottish actor and producer who is perhaps best known as the first actor to portray James Bond in cinema, starring in seven Bond films. ...
Muppet Treasure Island was the fifth feature film to star The Muppets, and the third produced after the death of Muppets creator Jim Henson. ...
Video Games Billy Connollys World Tour of Australia features Billy Connolly as the host as he takes the viewer on a scenic and informative tour around Australia and some surrounding islands. ...
- Muppet Treasure Island as Billy Bones (voice)
Documentaries/Specials - A Scot in the Arctic as Himself
| | 1995 | - Pocahontas as Ben (voice)
- Two Bites of Billy Connolly as Himself
| | 1994 | - Billy Connolly Live 1994 as Himself
Television Pocahontas was The Walt Disney Companys 33rd animated feature film. ...
| | 1993 | Television Movies This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ...
Indecent Proposal is a 1993 drama directed by Adrian Lyne. ...
- Down Among the Big Boys as Jo Jo Donnelly
| | 1992 | - 25 B.C.: The Best of 25 Years of Billy Connolly as Himself
Television | | 1991 | | | 1990 | - Whoopi Goldberg Presents Billy Connolly (HBO Standup Performance) as Himself
- Crossing the Line (known in the UK as The Big Man) as Frankie (for which he shaved off his trademark goatee)
Television Billy is the name of a short-lived television situation comedy that aired on ABC for half a season during 1992 in the United States. ...
Billy Connolly - LIVE at the Odeon Hammersmith June 1991 A clean shaven Billy Connolly performs live in London, England. ...
The ceremony of crossing the line is an initiation rite in the Royal Navy and other navies which commemorates a sailors first crossing of the equator. ...
Television Movies Head of the Class was an American sitcom that ran from 1986 to 1991 on the ABC television network. ...
| | 1989 | | | 1988 | Documentaries/Specials The Return of the Musketeers is a 1989 film based on the novel Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas, père. ...
| | 1987 | | | 1986 | | | 1985 | - Water as Delgado
- An Audience with Billy Connolly as Himself
Television For other people named Mandela, or other uses, see Mandela (disambiguation). ...
The Bellman supporting the Banker by a finger entwined in his hair The Hunting of the Snark (An Agony in 8 Fits) is a nonsense poem written by Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) in 1874, when he was 42 years old. ...
Water is a 1985 film scripted by Dick Clement and Ian Le Frenais, directed by Clement, and starring Michael Caine. ...
Television Special Supergran is a childrens television programme about a grandmother with super powers played by Gudrun Ure. ...
| | 1984 | Television Ethiopia, as its borders were in 1985. ...
Television Movies Tickle On The Tum was a series for young children that was produced by Granada Television and aired on the ITV network from about 1983 until 1988. ...
- Weekend in Wallop as Himself
| | 1983 | | | 1982 | Television Movies Bullshot is a film, based on the stage play Bullshot Crummond. Category: Comedy film stubs ...
The Secret Policemans Other Ball was the fourth of the benefit shows staged by the British Section of Amnesty International to raise funds for its research and campaign work in the human rights field. ...
| | 1981 | Documentaries/Specials Billy Connolly Bites Yer Bum! is a recording of a 1981 performance by comedian Billy Connolly, filmed in London. ...
| | 1980 | | | 1978 | - Absolution as Blakey
- Billy Connolly in Concert as Himself
| | 1976 | Television Movies The Secret Policemans Ball is the collective name for a series of fund raising performances featuring big-name comedians and musicians and other celebrities, held at various London venues, and once at a Nottingham television studio, to raise money for (and awareness of) Amnesty International. ...
- The Elephants' Graveyard as Jody
Documentaries/Specials - Big Banana Feet as Himself
| | 1975 | Television Movies - Just Another Saturday as Paddy
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Television guest appearances - Late Night with Conan O'Brien on 9 June 2007
- The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on 28 September 2006
- The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on 10 May 2006
- Enough Rope on 20 February 2006
- Real Time with Bill Maher on episode (#3.22), 28 October 2005
- Britain's Finest on episode "Actresses", 18 July 2005 and episode "Actors", 11 July 2005
- Last Call with Carson Daly on 22 December 2004
- The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on 15 December 2004
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien on 14 December 2004
- Parkinson in 1975 and on 2 January 1978; 3 April 1982; 23 January 1998; 17 December 1999; 20 October 2001; 18 October 2003; 4 September 2004
- Tinseltown TV on 6 December 2003
- The Late Late Show on 17 October 2003
- Rove Live on 23 October 2001
- 3rd Rock from the Sun as Inspector Macaffery on episode "Dial M for Dick" (#5.4), 9 November 1999
- Tracey Takes On... as Rory Cassidy in episode "Culture" (#3.9), 1 March 1998
- Veronica's Closet as Campbell in "Veronica's Got a Secret" (#1.11), 8 January 1998
- Pearl as William 'Billy' Pynchon in episode "Billy Returns" (#1.22), 25 June 1997 and episode "Billy" (#1.4), 30 September 1996
- Clive James in episode (#1.3), 6 March 1994
- Late Show with David Letterman on 18 November 1993
- The South Bank Show on October 4, 1992
- Minder as Tick Tack in episode "Fatal Impression" (#7.3), 16 January 1989
- Aspel & Company in episode (#2.11), 23 March 1985
- The South Bank Show on May 13, 1979
Late Night with Conan OBrien is an Emmy Award-winning American late night talk show that is syndicated worldwide. ...
June 9 is the 160th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (161st in leap years), with 205 days remaining. ...
Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...
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